Protective net



W- G. CORLISS Nov. 29 1966 PROTECTIVE NET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1965 I/VI/EA/TOR [UM/um w &9

ATTORNEYS W. G. CORLISS PROTECTIVE NET Nov. 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1965 law.

m V W w Wm M A T TOR/VE Y5 United States Patent 3,288,159 PROTECTIVE NET Warren G. Corliss, Rte. 1, Box 522, Stuart, Fla. Filed Jan. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 426,117 2 Claims. (Cl. 135--8) This invention relates broadly to the art of protective means for building structures and the like and in its more specific aspects it relates to such means in the form of a protective net which is attached to the top or adjacent to the top of a building structure and is anchored to the ground and provides a protective medium for such structure to protect it from the destructive forces of hurricanes, gales, high winds and the like; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the arts to which it relates in the light of the following explanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I at present believe to be preferred embodiments or mechanical expressions of my invention from among various other forms, arrangements, combinations and constructions, of which the invention is capable within the spirit and scope thereof.

My invention has been particularly designed for protecting building structures against the destructive forces of hurricanes, gales, high winds and unusually bad storms. As is well known, building structures are subject to substantial damage and oftentimes complete destruction, by high winds, flying debris and the like which are generated in hurricanes, gales and severe storms, such winds and rains often causing such building structures to be unroofed as well as substantially demolished and otherwise damaged, and it is also known that such high winds cause great damage to building structures from flying debris and objects which are picked up by the winds and blown against such structures.

It has also been one of my prime purposes to provide a protective medium against such damaging storms, which usually include torrential downpours, by providing means which function to breakup the rain to thereby substantially reduce its normally damaging impact against vulnerable areas of the building structure beingjprotected by my protective medium.

The protective medium which I have devised is adapted to be removably attached to the building structure at the facia or roof portion thereof and to extend downwardly therefrom at an angle thereto, and to be removably attached to means fixed in the ground. When the protective medium is in operative position as described, it will prevent flying objects and'debris which are carried by the high winds from coming into damaging engagement with the building structure being protected.

As will become more fully apparent as. this description proceeds the protective medium being-fastened to the building structure adjacent the roof portion thereof and being firmly anchored to the ground will function, in effect, as an anchor means for the roof to substantially reduce the possibility of the roof being blown from the structure by the high winds.

It is also within my contemplation, and I have found from experiments with my protective medium, that the attachment of the protective medium to the facia of the building structure and the ground at an angle to the building structure actually does reduce and lessen the wind pressures upon the building being protected to thereby lessen in a substantial degree the possibility of wind damage to the building. This relationship of the protective medium to the building structure breaks down its force and its damaging potential.

In the development of my invention I have devised a protective medium of the character briefly outlined above which is easy to install in operative protective position with respect to a building structure and is equally easy to remove when not needed. The protective medium which I have devised is easy to store, and I have found that the average sized one may be stored in two conventional size locker trunks.

In developing the protective net I have provided a protective medium which is relatively inexpensive to produce, is inexpensive and not difficult to install into operative position, is endowed with lasting qualities and is not combersome and space consuming to store when not in use.

With the foregoing general objects, features and results in view, as well as certain others which will be apparent from the following explanation, the invention consists in certain novel features in design, construction, mounting and combination of elements, as will be more fully and particularly referred to and described hereinafter.

In the acompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of my protective net secured in operative position with respect to a building structure being protected thereby.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of my net in operative protective position for a building structure.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed view showing the means for connecting the lower ends of each panel of the protective net to the adjusting means which in turn is anchored to the ground.

FIG. 4 is a side view in detail showing the roof portion of a building structure and the means for removably fastening the protective net at its upper end thereto.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view with parts thereof broken away showing one type of netting which may be used, and also showing the strengthening means provided at the upper end of each panel of a complete protective net.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view in section showing the protective net in operative position.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view showing one of the ground anchor means for the adjusting means at the bot- .tom of each panel, and illustrating the connecting means which I have provided for connecting the adjusting means to each such ground anchors.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the numeral 1 to designate in its entirety a building structure to which my invention is applied for the protection thereof against the damaging forces created by hurricanes, gales, high winds and other severe storms, 'which storms usually include torrential or heavy vw'nd-blown rains. The protective net or reticulated structure of this invention, which I have designated generally by the numeral 3, functions to protect the building structure against the damaging.

impact of flying objects picked up and blown by the high winds, it also functions to break up the velocity or damaging force of the winds and also of the rains, and it also serves as a reinforcing means, or anchor, for preventing the unroofing of the structure being protected. In the consideration of my disclosure of this invention, it is to be distinctly understood, that while I have shown a building structure of generally rectangular outline, this is merely by way of example, and is not to be construed as a limitation, for it is clearly within my contemplation to provide my protective net to buildings of various dimensions and configurations. I accomplish this merely by adding angularly related panels to the protective net, or reducing the number of panels to fit a particular installation, and in so doing I do not in any 'way depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed and described herein, nor require inventive skill to adapt the protective net disclosed to configurations of building structures other than the one illustrated herein.

Referring especially to FIG. 5 of the drawings wherein I have disclosed a detailed view of a part of the protective net whichc I have successfully used, it will be seen that this net is preferably formed of woven nylon strands or lengths 5, that is, strands which are interlaced together, and the net is of knotless construction since the intersecting lines or strands 5 of the net are woven,.

plurality of panels which I have designated by the numeral 11, and it will be understood that the size of the building structure being protected will determine the number of panels which are employed in the complete unitary protective net. Thus, it is possible, :if a relatively small structure is being protected that only one panel 11 might be necessary.

Each panel 11 which is composed of the netting 3, as described above, is provided with a nylon line 13 at the top thereof and a nylon line 15 at the bottom thereof. These constitute strong reference or support points and prevent sag in the panels to thereby produce a strong and reinforced netting panel, and I preferably, although not necessarily, form the reference point lines 13 and 15 of one-fourth inch /4") nylon. The mesh or netting 3 is preferably woven, interlaced or otherwise suitably attached to the top and bottom lines as at 14. In order to provide further strength to each panel and to the entire unitary net, I provide a further continuous free running nylon line 17 which is fastened to and extends between the lines 13 and 15 on each vertical side of each panel 11. The lines 17 are of one-fourth inch 0A") nylon, and these lines 17, which I term end lines, on adjacent panels are snap hooked together from top to bottom as at 19. In addition to the reinforcing and supporting lines 13, 15 and 17 I provide further nylon lines 21 which are not attached to strands 5, and are free running with respect thereto, and are fixed to and extend between the lines 13 and 15 in spaced relation across each panel at more or less 15-foot intervals.

In the particular example illustrated in the drawings I have disclosed the entire protective netting as including what I shall term side flaps 23, the manner of combining these flaps in with the main portion of the protective net will be hereinafter described in detail.

Referring especially to FIG. 6 of the drawings, it will be apparent that I have shown a building structure 1, comprising a vertical portion 25, a facia section 27 and the ground 29. The disclosure of this building structure is solely by way of example, for the structure, as pointed out hereinabove, may take a variety of forms, for instance, it is not necessary to the proper function and operation of any invention that the building structure being protected by my protective net be formed with the projecting facia 27, instead it need not be forwardly projected from the vertical line of the vertical portion 25, for it may be indented with respect to the vertical plane of the section 25, or it may be in the same plane thereof, and my protective net will be readily adapted thereto, as will become evident as this description proceeds.

Along the facia 27 of the building structure I afiix a plurality of spaced apart eye bolts 31 which are screwed into the facia at intervals therealong which preferably conform to the roof beam interval of the roof structure. While I have shown the facia 27, it is to be understood that the building need not be formed with such a part,

it is however, desirable that the eye bolts 31 be fastened or screwed into a part of the roof structure so that my protective net will inherently function, along with its 4 other functions, as an anchor for the roof of the building structure.- t i e The protective net is supported along its topedge from the facia or roof portion of the building structure by means of double ended snap-hooks 33, one end of which snaps into the eye of an eye bolt 31, while the other end snaps to the top. reinforcing supporting line 13 of each 'panel of the unitary protective net. While any suita-ble attach'ing means may be used, the snap hooks 33 comprise a conventional type of hook having a body portion for each end of which a hook extends, and combined with-each hook is a spring-like tongue to receive and removably lock within one hook the eye 31 and within the other hook the line 13. It will thus be apparent that the net, or each panel 11 thereof, is fastened to the roof structure of the building being protected at a plurality of points along its top edge, and

that the net extends downwardly-therefrom at an angle.

to the vertical plane of the building structure under protection, and, as will be explained, is releasably anchored to the ground at a line outwardly spaced with respect to the building structure.

I provide a unique and ingenious means and arrangement for releasably anchoring the protective net in operative position on the ground after it has been attached to the roof structure in the manner which I have described. I provide a plurality of sand or land anchors designated in their entirety by'the numeral 35, these land .or sand anchors being of any suitable and conventional type, and comprising a rod or stem element 37 provided at its lower end with collapsible or expandible wings 39 which are pivotally mounted on the lower end of the rod 37, as at 41. The upper end of each rod 37 is formed with an eye 43. The sand or land anchors are driven into the ground at intervals and in spaced relation relative to the building structure, and upon an upward force being applied to these anchors the anchoring wings 39 spread out or expand to hold and maintain the anchor within the ground. It should be understood that any other suitable type of means for anchoring the net to the ground (as will be explained) may be used, and it is therefore not necessary to the success of my invention that the particular type of anchor illustrated in the drawings be used.

I provide an S hook 45 for each sand or land anchor 35, one end of each S hook being hooked into the eye 43 of a sand anchor while the other end of each S hook is hooked through an eye 47 of a housing 49 which rotatively mounts a pulley element 51. As a part of the anchoring means for the protective net I provide a base line 53 which is preferably, though not necessarily a plastic covered steel cable of approximately one thousand pounds strength, and this cable is non-stretchable.

In FIG. 2 of the drawings I have illustrated an end land anchor of the type already described and I have designated this end land anchor by the reference-numeral 55, and in an installation I affix, in any suitable manner, one end of the base cable 53 =the'reto, whereupon the cable is threaded or' rove through each pulley 51 and the free end thereof is fixed, in any suitable manner, to the other end anchor which I have designated by the numeral I 57, the cable being pulled taut prior to afiixing the free end to the end anchor 57. The pulleys prevent chafing of the base line and facilitate adjustment thereof. After the base line 53 is taute'ned and affixed as described, the cable is broken intermediate the ends thereof, and

the broken ends are formed with eyes 59, and a con' ventional turnbuckle 61 having hooks 63 is hooked into the eyed ends of the cables '53. It is to be. understood that it is notnecessary tofollow the above described process for operatively connectingthe base cable 53 to,

the land anchors and causing-the same to be tightened. It is equally within my contemplation to use twolengths of cable 53, opposing ends of which are connected to the turnbuckle 61, and then fastening the opposite ends of the two sections of the cable to the land anchors 55 and 57, whereupon the turnbuckle may be adjusted to adjust the tautness of the base cable. By means of the construction, mounting and arrangement of the base line 53 I have achieved a strong, non-stretchable anchoring base line, which by means of the turnbuckle is adjustable.

While I have explained one method of attaching the base line to the sand or land anchors, it will be apparent that other ways of doing this may be followed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. For instance, two separate base lines may be originally used, each being provided with any desirable means for connecting the inner ends to the turnbuckle.

When the base line 53 is operatively positioned in properly adjusted position the bottom of the net is attached thereto by a plurality of double ended or other suitable type of hooks 65, which snap over bottom line 15 and base line 53.

Consideration of the drawings clearly indicates that the protective net 3 extends at an angle from its point of attachment to the base line 53, and I have found that it is desirable that this angle, that is the included angle beween the roof, or the points of top attachment and the net, be not less than 30 degrees. If the problems of terrain and the like would permit a greater angle in a particular installation, the effectiveness of the protective net would be increased.

With respect to the optional side panel-s 23 which are illustrated in the drawings, it will be appreciated that these are formed of the described net, and if sufiiciently large, would comprise more than one panel 11, and it will further be clear that these side flaps are mounted to the roof and to the base line as hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. A building structure and a protective net therefor,

including, in combination, at least one panel of reticulated structure forming said protective net and having reinforcing means connected to the reticulated structure at the top, bottom and edges thereof, and said building structure having a top portion and said top reenforcing means being releasa bly connected thereto, means secured to the ground in position outwardly disposed with respect to said top portion of the building structure, said means which are secured to the ground comprising a cable and spaced apart anchoring means disposed in the ground, and said cable being attached to said anchoring means for axial movement with respect thereto, and said bottom reenforcing means being releasably connected to said means which are secured to the ground.

2. A protective net in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said spaced apart anchoring means is provided on the exposed top portion thereof with a pulley fixed thereon through which said cable is threaded for axial adjustment therethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 750,151 1/1904 Beach 52-162 1,250,350 12/1917 Pieper 52-162 1,410,820 3/ 1922 McMillan.

2,348,387 5/ 1944 Hume 10949.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 729,959 5/1932 France.

518,338 2/ 1940 Great Britain.

577,932 6/1946 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner. 

1. A BUILDING STRUCTURE AND A PROTECTIVE NET THEREFOR, INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION, AT LEAST ONE PANEL OR RETICULATED STRUCTURE FORMING SAID PROTECTIVE NET AND HAVING REINFORCING MEANS CONNECTED TO THE RETICULATED STRUCTURE AT THE TOP, BOTTOM AND EDGES THEREOF, AND SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE HAVING A TOP PORTION AND SAID TOP REENFORCING MEANS BEING RELEASABLY CONNECTED THERETO, MEANS SECURED TO THE GROUND IN POSITION OUTWARDLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID TOP PORTION OF THE BUILDING STRUCTURE, SAID MEANS WHICH ARE SECURED TO THE GROUND COMPRISING A CABLE AND SPACED APART ANCHORING MEANS DISPOSED IN THE GROUND, AND SAID CABLE BEING ATTACHED TO SAID ANCHORING MEANS FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO, AND SAID BOTTOM REENFORCING MEANS BEING RELEASABLY CONNECTED TO SAID MEANS WHICH ARE SECURED TO THE GROUND. 